BOAT TEST: ANGLAPRO GETAWAY 424 PRO

With the entry-level Getaway 424 Pro, Anglapro has taken aim at the heart of the large runabout market. John Ford attended the birth.

GETAWAY 424 PRO

ANGLAPRO GETAWAY 424 PRO

Most of what has been written about the Anglapro range has been on the boatbuilder's dedicated fishing platforms like the Outlaws and Bandits, and it's worth noting that most of what has been written was by writers who were impressed. With the Getaway 424 Pro, Anglapro is now aiming right at the heart of middle-Australia's boating market - the quintessential runabout.

GOTTA GETAWAY

Thousands of Aussie boaters have cut their teeth in runabouts - the style of craft with a windscreen and steering wheel up forward. The runabout has been a multi-purpose boat of choice for decades, and no wonder; you can fish, prawn, tow tubes and enjoy the experience of generally "mucking around in boats" that makes life on the water such fun.

There has been no reinventing the wheel with the Getaway, just refinement of the genre and employment of a proven hull from the existing range. The steering has been set as far forward as possible in the wide bow, resulting in a very usable flat cockpit area which provides a surprising amount of room for what is actually a small boat. The hull is wide and stable, with a broad and flat rear section and a sharp entry to give both good handling when underway and stability at rest.

Up front two pedestal seats accommodate driver and passenger. There's good leg-room with no footrest, but the seats rotate and the driving position is comfortable, with a high-mounted throttle control and a three-spoke rubberised steering wheel. The three-piece screen has a centrally-opening section for access forward to the anchorwell and a solid grabrail along the top. Visibility forward through the screen is good although the top rail was in my line of vision. The dash is a simple flat panel housing the switches and would have room for small instruments.

A black and white Eagle sounder is fitted to the side-console and a glovebox in the centre of the dash is large enough for lifejackets or wet weather gear. Extra storage space is provided in the space below the foredeck. A folding bimini also provides good shelter over the seating area.

The hull has been over-engineered with multiple ribs and a fully-welded floor. It's constructed with a 3mm aluminium bottom and sides and is both selfdraining and stiff. The floor is timber over the aluminium, with a marine carpet which keeps things quiet across chop and is soft underfoot.

Up the back is a folding seat for two and a quite-usable bait table on an enclosed transom. The test boat was fitted with a 50hp Suzuki, the maximum power rating recommended for this craft, and it shoves the Anglapro along at a reasonable 30kts (55.5kmh).

The Suzuki gets the boat moving quickly out of the hole and settles into an easy cruise around 20kts (37kmh). The motor is quiet throughout the rev range and has a pleasant growl as it launches. It steers smoothly and turns predictably too and keeps a nice flat attitude with no slip. With a stiff breeze blowing from the south as we headed south of Sydney and across Port Hacking, the screen provided welcome protection from spray that was deflected from the bow and back over the boat. Out in the open areas of the Port Hacking entrance the boat felt safe and stable over the chop and swell.

THE WRAP

Anglapro has done a good job with build quality and design here. It's a smart package that can be optioned with a 30hp motor for as low as $17,375. Anglapro is a small manufacturer that says it can maintain build quality at a good price because of low overheads. The company is building a good dealer network and its boats are growing in reputation among fishos for their stability and safety.

The 424 is easily towed behind a small vehicle and can be launched on your own. Anglapro boats certainly look the part and with this runabout their appeal will broaden into the family market.